Arcuate toaster



July 29, 19x52 J. E. KIRBY v 2,604,841

ARCUATE TOASTER ATTE RN EYS Patented July 29, 1952 UNITED .N sTATEs PATENT. OFFICE s Y y2,604,841

v`fAc'UA'rEtirnas'rlirt Y a :il John Harlingen, rlex. V

Application Augustl, 1949, Serial No. 110,535

n l Y This invention relates to electric toastersacommonly used for toastingslices of` bread, v.cereal products, and the like, and in particular'a toaster having an arcuate slice of bread receivingY slot whereby a slice of bread is toasted on a.` curve or U-shaped in cross section so that a Weiner or hot dog may readily be inserted therein.

The purpose of this invention is to facilitate making sandwiches with weiners by using sliced bread which is normally at.

It is difcult to wrap a slice of bread around a Weiner and at the Sametime apply mustard or other iilling, and where the bread is toasted it breaks as it is folded over the Weiner. With this thought in mind this invention contemplates ay having a core, also having heating elements disi tributed over the surface thereof. positioned to be inserted into the center of the slot whereby with a slice of bread positioned over the slot the core will bend the slice of bread forming it into the shape of a U and hold it in this shape until it is toasted.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for toasting slices of bread in the form of a U which is portable.

A further object of the invention is to provide an electric toaster for forming and toasting bread in the shape of a U which is of a comparatively simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in View the invention embodies a toaster formed with two hinged elements with a U-shaped opening or slot in one element and a core on the other element mounted to be inserted into the slot, and means for supplying heat to the elements.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan View of the toaster with the cover in the open position and with the outer edge of the cover away.

Figure 2 is a cross section through the toaster taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing the toaster in the closed position in full lines and with the cover in the open position in dotted line, and with parts broken away.

i oigan; (c1. .e9-3ssl Figure 3 is a similar cross section illustrating a modication wherein the core is stationary and the housing with the U-shaped slot therein pivotally mounted in combination therewith.

Figure 4 is a similar section showing a further modication wherein the parts are positioned for horizontal movement of the core into the slot.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section through the toaster illustrating a further modification wherein the toasting elements are shaped to bend a slice of bread both longitudinally and transversely.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference charactersdenote corresponding parts the U-shaped toasterv of this invention includes a housing I9 having aU-shaped slot II therein with heating elements I2 around the slot, and a cover I3 pivotally mounted on the housing I0 by a pin I4 and having a core I5 with heating elements I6 therein suspended from the cover and Y positioned to enter the slot II.

In the design illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 the housing I0 is mounted on a base I1 and the interior is iilled with a suitable insulating or plastic material as indicated by the numeral `I8 and in which the heating elements I2 are embedded.

The pin I4 is held in extended arms I9 and 29 that are positioned at the upper end of the housing and a hub 2I of the cover I3 is positioned on the pin I4 between the arms I9 and 20. The cover is provided with a handle 22 which extends from the opposite side and the core I5 is suspended from the underside by brackets 23 and 24. The hub 2I may be provided with stops 25 and 26 which are positioned to engage the under surf-aces of the arms I9 and 20, respectively as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 so that the cover may be held outwardly in a horizontal position when open.

Electric current may be supplied to the heating elements I2 and I6 through a feed wire 21 that is connected to buss wires 28 and 29 in a socket 30 and the buss bars may be directly connected to the element I2, as shown, and connected to the element I6 by wires in a cable 3l, as shown in Figure 1.

With the parts arranged in this manner a slice of bread is placed upon the upper surface 32 of the housing I0 with the cover open and as the cover is closed the core I5 forces the slice of bread downwardly into the slot II whereby the bread is held in a U-shape as it is toasted. After the bread is toasted the cover is opened and the slice of bread removed.

In the design illustrated in Figure 3 a slice of bread is placed over a core 33 supported on a stand 34 by bracket 35, and a housing 33 having a U-shaped slot 31 therein is brought downward- 1y over the slice of bread forming the slice of bread into a U shape. The housing 36 is provided with a hub 38 through which it is pivotally mounted on the stand 34 by a pin 39 in bearings 40. The housing 35 is also provided with a handle 4I by which itmay be Araised and lowered, and heating'elements'42` are provided in the housing with corresponding heating elements 43 in the core 33.

In the design illustrated in Figure 4 a housing 44 having a U-shaped slot 45 therein is positioned on a stand 4G with the slot in a horizontal posi.-

tion and a core 4l, carried by a closure element- 1 48 is adapted to be insertedlinto the slot 'to'form a slice of bread held over the outer end of the slot in the shape of a U. The closure 48 is pivotally mounted by links 4S! on the stand 46 with the links attached tothe `stand Aby 1a' pin 50 and to the closu'reby pin-5 i. The-housing 44 is provided with l'ieatingielenie'nts and the 'core 41 is pirovided with corresponding lieat'ing elements 53.v

-I't will "be understood; therefore, -that the core and-slot maybe rnounte'din'various positions so that a 'slice of' bread -plabedover the open end of the slot 4may-be Ziorni'ed into a 1U for curve as it is Vforced into vthes'lotandfas heat lis applied the slice of bread will be toasted in`this position so that it is Vformed tti-conveniently receive Weiners with mustard or other filling material.

In the design illustrated in Figure 5 -a housing 54 'mounted on albase 1551 is provided with a U- shaped slot s'imilar to theslot I l and the slot 53, instead o f extending straight through the housing, is formed on an are whereby a slice of bread will be toasted'finfthe form-cfa holder with an arcuate back." in this design the upper heating element 51, which is vsuspendediirom a hinged cover 58, is formed-inail arc' to correspond with the slot 56. The heating element 57 is embedded 'in insulating material E'and aheating element 60, in the lower part of the fh'ousing is embedded in insulating material 3.6L Current is supplied to the heating elements through a plug S2.

It will be understood that other modications 4 may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

In a toaster, the combination which comprises a horizontally disposed base, an elongated boxlike housing having side and end walls and an upper surface mounted on the base, said housing havingacentrally positioned longitudinally disposed slotY U-shaped in cross section extended through the intermediate part thereof and through the said end walls, arms with bearings vin the ends thereof extended from one side of Athe said housing, a cover having a handle extendedvfrom Yone edge positioned between and pivotally 'mounted in the bearings of the said arms, said cover positioned above and spaced from the upper surface of the housing in the closed position, a core U-shaped in cross section carried by and depending from the said cover, said corepo'sitionedin the said U-shaped slot of fthehous'ing and''spaced from the lower end and lside walls-ofthe slotfwith the cover in the closed position -upon the housing whereby a slice of bread positioned upon the upper surface of the housing is pressedinto the shape of a U in cross section as the core is 4pressed into rthe slot upon closing of thecover, jelectrc heating elements positioned in the surface of the core, electric heating elements mounted inthe housing and positioned "aroundjthe saidslo't, and insulating material filling `thej'interior of the core and interior of the said housing. y

' 'JOHN ELWYN KIRBY.

, REFERENCES CITED l Thefollowing references are of record inthe iile of this patent: v

UNITED STATES PATENTS Numbery 'Y '-Name Date 1,54322'1 Matson June 23, 1925 1,959,594 Mattassay May 22, 1934 1;974,204 l y'Cooter Sept. 18, 1934 2,125,589 'l Shuman Allg. 2, 1938 '2,473,402 'VVOOd' June 14, 1949 

